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If you like watching DVDs on your PC, you’ll be disappointed to know that Windows 8 can’t play DVD videos out of the box, so to speak. That doesn’t mean you have to go out and spend a lot of money to get DVD video playback. In fact, there are quite a few programs available that are free. Here are a few popular options for watching DVDs on your Windows 8 PC:
Windows Media Center It’s the omission of Windows Media Center that removed Windows 8’s ability to natively play DVD video. If you like Windows Media Center or prefer watching DVDs with Windows Media Player, Windows 8 Pro users can add Windows Media Center as an add-on for $9.99. For a limited time, however, you can get Windows Media Center for free.
Screenshot by Ed Rhee/CNET
VLC Media Player VLC has been around for over a decade and is one of the most popular media players available — free or otherwise. It ranks No. 1 for video players at CNET’s Download.com and has been downloaded over 47 million times. One of the reasons for its popularity is its support for a wide variety of audio and video file formats.
Screenshot by Ed Rhee/CNET
GOM Media Player GOM is another very popular media player that can play DVDs on Windows 8. It also supports a plethora of file formats and is easy to use. In order to achieve DVD playback, however, you may need to follow its FAQ on installing the MPEG-2 codec. An official Windows 8 version is in the works, but the current version seems to work fine in Windows 8.
Screenshot by Ed Rhee/CNET
MPC-HC (Media Player Classic Home Cinema) MPC-HC is a lightweight media player for Windows, based on the older Media Player Classic. It’s not flashy, but it’s small and offers a lot of customization options.
Screenshot by Ed Rhee/CNET
That’s it. Do you use any of the media players listed above or do you have another favorite? Let us know in the comments.
